McDonald's Corp. and Walt Disney Co. said Feb. 27 that they entered into a multiyear partnership to promote select Disney movies via the Illinois-based fast food giant's Happy Meals in the U.S.
The announcement comes less than two weeks after McDonald's said it will remove cheeseburgers and chocolate milk from its Happy Meal as part of its commitment to healthier food. In the latest release, McDonald's also said it has taken steps to improve some of its popular children's offerings, including removing artificial preservatives from chicken nuggets and serving chicken not treated with antibiotics.
Disney established nutrition criteria in 2006 in partnership with nutrition authorities to promote consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, among others, while limiting calories, saturated fats, sugars and sodium. Reuters reported Feb. 27 that the California-based entertainment conglomerate prohibited licensing its trademark characters for foods that fail to meet its minimum nutrition requirements.
McDonald's said its products will be in line with Disney's nutrition guidelines as of June.
The promotional campaign will begin June 12 with Disney's "Incredibles 2," followed by "Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2" on Nov. 21.
